Macon hopes to end confusion over same-name streets

MACON - Ask for directions to First Avenue in Macon and you might get four different answers. <br> <br> The city map shows four separate First Avenues, and they&#39;re not the only duplicated street names. There are three Wilson Streets and a couple of Cordele Avenues. <br> <br> In all, 95 streets in Macon share 42 names - meaning the city map is littered with same-name streets that can confuse out-of-towners and slow down emergency workers. <br> <br> To eliminate the confusion, Councilman James Timley is drafting a plan to change some street names. He plans to present his idea to the full council next week. <br> <br> ``What&#39;s happening is that the emergency responders are having some trouble because of the same street names,&#39;&#39; Timley said. ``We just don&#39;t need that to happen because it could be a life or death situation.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Under Timley&#39;s plan, the city would simply add direction designations to most of the same-name streets. <br> <br> For example, the two Cordele Avenues are about four miles apart. One would keep its name, but the other would change to Cordele Avenue East. <br> <br> But at least four streets will need to be completely renamed. C Street, Jackson Street, Second Avenue and Third Avenue, all near the airport, will be renamed so travelers are not confused. <br> <br> The policy will prevent streets from being renamed after living people, service clubs, lodges, fraternal organizations, churches or schools. <br> <br> So far, police, ambulance and fire officials say no one has ever died because they arrived at the wrong address. However, they say it could happen. <br> <br> ``Any time you have a number of streets with duplicated names, it&#39;s going to cause confusion,&#39;&#39; Macon police Chief Rodney Monroe said. ``If you live on one of the streets you might automatically assume that the police know which one you&#39;re talking about, but that&#39;s not always the case.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Even the post office is looking forward to the change. <br> <br> ``Sometimes there can be confusion. While we will get the mail where it belongs, it might sometimes be delayed,&#39;&#39; Postmaster Marty Thompson said. ``All we&#39;d have to do is change our database and that wouldn&#39;t take too long if they (renamed) the streets. I think the change could be good.&#39;&#39;